Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-02-08
The Reieellon orlIatlhews.

Inc rejection OF Matthew'S, cOlOTeu, OF AL
bauy, y. ", nominated to be Recorder Of
Deeds of the District of Columbia, was sent
to the President to-day, the Senate having
removed the injunction of secrecy from the
vote and all the papers relating to the case.
The vote rejecting the nomination stood 81
to is, as follows:
Yeas-MessIs Allison, Blackburn, Bowen
Chace Coke, Conger, Cullom, Dawes. Edmunds,
Eustis Evarts German, Hawley, Hoar, ingalls,
Jones OF Nevada Mcmillan, Malone, Morgan
Palmer, Plumb, Pugh, Ransom, Salisbury, Saw.
yer, Sewell. sherman, Spooner, Vance, Williams
Wilson of Iowa-3l.
Nays-Messrs. Beck, Blair Brown, Call. Cock
rell. Colquitt, Farwell, Gibson, Hampton, Harris.
Jones of Arkansas. Mcpherson, Mitchell Of Ore
gon, Payne, Vest, Waltha'l, Withdrawals
Messrs. Berry, Butler Camden, Gray and
Kenna have announced that they would
have voted in the negative had they been
present and not paired, aud Messrs Man.
dersop, Miller, Stanford and Teller have an.
nounced that they would have voted in the
affirmative.
a lengthy document, prepared by Senator
Ingalls,, was adopted by the Senate yeste.,
day and sent with the rejection 10 the Pres
ident The following paragraph is quoted
from the Presidents message of March |,
1856, relative to papers on file and other in
formation touching suspensions from and
appointments to Office:
Upon refusal to confirm, shall not assume
the right to ask the resslns for the action OF the
Senate or question S determination | cannot
think that anything more is required to secure
worthy noumbents in public Office than careful
and independent discharge of our respective du-
ties within their well defined limits.
1t is assumed in Mr.. ingalls, document
that the President accompanied the renomi.
nation with letter of explanation, already
published, because his action was not strict
ly in accordance with his declaration The
resolution then continues
The Senate does not consider that it is re-
CURED either TO admit or deny the propre
ty, or the correctness, Of the conjecture of
the President as to the reasons by which it
was guided in declining to confirm the
original nomination.
The President attempts to justify the re-
nomination of Matthews By stating l. That
the fitness of the nominee has been demon
strated. 2. That the previous opposition TO
District has largely subsidized. 8 That he
desires in this way to tender just recogni.
ton and good faith toward our colored
fellow. citizens.
1t is sufficient answer TO the first two rea.
sons alleged, to say that neither could have
been applicable when Matthews was APP
pointed in August, immediately after the
adjournment of the Senate, for at that time
his fitness had not been demonstrated, nor
had there been any interval for local oppo-
sition to subside.
Until suggested by the President, the
Senate was not aware that the question OF
''just recognition or good faith to our col
ored fellow citizens was involved in the
question and it has never before been urged
that a PERSONS nomination for an office
should be confirmed or rejected because he
was black or because he was white
This classification has been abolished BIZ
the suppression of the rebellion and by the
amendments of the Constitution, and is no
longer properly TO be recognized in dealing
with public affairs The Senate however,
in view Of the message OF the President,
cannot iorbear to apprise him, since he has
raised the race issue, that Frederick Doug
lass was, it is understood, requested 10 re-
sign the office of Recorder OF Deeds in the
District of Columbia in order that James c.
Matthews might be appointed to the place
Without doubt Frederick Douglass is the
most distinguished representative of the
scolored race, not in this country only, but
in the world. Just recognition would
have been rendered to our colored fellow
citizens by the retention of Frederick Doug
lass, rather than by his enforced retirement
in order TO reward an unknown and obscure
partisan who had never been slave, and
therefore represented the enfranchsed race
only by the accident Of color. The devotion
of the Presiden: to the political and civil adj.
vancement of the coored race might have
been equally attested, and good faith
might have been as strongly evinced, by the
retention Of Douglass in the office, whose
duties he was discharging TO the satisfaction
of the people, unless it is to be understood
that ''just recognition" is to be rendered on
ly to those members Of that race who are
supposed to entertain particular political
opinions. In such case the issue of race
disappears and the test is politics.
The Senate hos no official information
other than that contained in the message of
the President, whether Matthews is white or
black. He is admitted 10 be a citizen OF
New York. The Office 10 which he is nomi-
mated is strictly local. The compensation
for the performance Of lis duties is not paid
by the Government, but mainly by citizens
of the District having papers 10 be recorded
therein.
His confirmation is opposed with snbslan-
tial unanimity by the citizens of the District
without regard to color, politics, or occupa-
ton.
The just principles of selfgovernmcnt, as well
the declarations of both political parties Justify
their desire that the duties of the Office of Re
corder Of Deeds should be performed by come res.
ident of the District acceptable to those whose
property is to be affected by his acts, and who
pay the entire expense of its administration.
EscAPEoF PRISONERS. yesterday nom
ing six men, four white and two colored,
made their escape from Accomac county